Tales of Fantasia: The Prime's Court
by Rowena Bensel
Summary: The Land of Fantasia is home to many different creatures of fantasy. Many of them are kind and good, especially those of the Primeian Kingdom of the southern mountains. Alison meets one of these creatures when she is rescued in the forest by the raiju messenger Bumblebee. Little did she know how big a part Bumblebee, and the rest of the Prime's Court, would play in her life.


This is part of a multi-fandom fantasy series of ficlets I had written for Fictober. While I did not complete the challenge, I am keeping the prompt list to try and finish the storylines I established. I will be updating it on Thursdays and Tuesdays, though it will not always be this particular story, as I will be dividing the different fandoms into their own stories. To read the others, look for the Fantasia series on my profile.

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Alison would not jump. Or scream. Or attract any attention to herself.

Okay, she could admit it was really dumb to just chase after the little sprite that had appeared at the edge of the clearing, but she was also blaming Miss Dorothea. If she had been paying attention, she wouldn't have wandered off.

Well, there was no helping it, she was lost. In a forest populated by creatures. Ones who liked to eat little girls. And on top of that, it looked like it was gonna rain.

No, it'll be just fine. The elves don't live that far from town, and they patrol. If she just finds herself a little hollow to hide in until they find her, she'll be fine. She even had a sharp rock to use for a knife if need be.

This was the brave front she kept up as she walked towards what she thought was a elven trail. And there, a hollow in that tree. Just the perfect size for a little girl… or an arachne's trap.

She picked up a large rock and threw it as hard as she could into the hollow. And nothing happened. No web trap dropped down, no trapdoor opened. It was as safe as she was gonna get.

A fat raindrop hit the top of her head, and she dashed for the hollow, barely making it inside before the downpour hit. Even through the forest canopy, it was heavy enough to obscure her vision two feet past the opening. Good news, that means the arachne and most other creatures would be seeking their dens and not come out until the weather abated. But it also meant the elves wouldn't be patrolling.

"It'll be okay," she whispered to herself, wrapping her arms around her legs and tucking her head on them, blinking as her eyes started watering. "It'll be okay."

A crack of thunder sounded overhead, and it was the last straw. She buried her head in her arms and started crying. She completely lost track of time in her misery, and even when her tears dried up and she was just hiccuping, she kept her head down.

"What are you doing in there?"

Her head jerked up and her hand went to where she had dropped her rock. But what she saw made her pause in attacking.

It was a boy, maybe a few years older than she was. In one hand, he was a ball of white light that cackled and sparked, and by it she could get a good look at him. His skin was tanned white, not much different from her own, and his eyes were a bright blue, like the crystals her mother and some of the other women of the village wore. He was wearing a yellow sleeveless shirt under a dark grey cloak, the hood drawn up over his blond curls, black pants, and black sandals, which was odd to wear in the rain. Around his neck was a blue crystal pendant, while on his arms were bands of what looked like gold with black and blue gems set in them, and a long yellow ribbon was wrapped through them and around his arms and back. She had never seen such bands in person before, but she remembered her lessons. Only a couple species of creature wore bands like that, and only one would be out in a storm like this, or could make a light like his.

The raiju tilted his head. "Hey, can you speak?"

Alison pouted despite herself. "Of course I can speak. I'm not dumb"

"Hey, you didn't say anything, I had to ask." He knelt on the ground in front of the hollow. "So, what's a little human girl doing out here?"

Alison's lip quivered, but she did her best to not show it. "I-I got lost. I was chasing a sprite, and got all turned around. I was waiting for an elf patrol, then the storm started. Is that your fault?"

"Hey, don't blame me. I just ride the storm, I don't make it." He thought for a moment. "Is your village the one north of the wood? Tranquility?" Alison nodded, and the raiju smiled. "Well great. I was heading that way, I can take you home."

Alison wanted to agree right away, but the suspicion she had been taught since birth reared its head. "Wh-what would you want in exchange?"

"Nothing. Why would I want anything just for taking you home."

"All creatures want something."

"Well yeah, but don't all people want something too?"

She hadn't considered that before, and she really wanted to go home. Besides, he was a kid, like her. If she needed to, she could fight him.

She nodded. "Okay." She shifted to her knees and started crawling out of the hollow. When she didn't feel any rain on her falling on her, she looked up and saw the raiju holding his cloak over her.

"Come here, tuck yourself close to me." He closed his other hand and the lighting ball snuffed out with a flash. "It'll be easier and faster if I carry you, plus you'll stay drier."

Alison nodded and sidled up to him. He was warm, and only leaning against him did she realize how cold she had been. She pressed herself closer to get more of that warmth. He dropped the edge of the cloak over her head, then slipped his arms behind her back and under her knees. He lifted her with ease as he stood, and the cloak settled over them both, with only a thin gap open that allowed her to look up at the raiju's face and a sliver of the landscape ahead of them.

"Thank you for helping me," she said.

"I couldn't do anything less." He looked down at her. "Oh, I forgot to ask; what's your name? Mine's Bumblebee."

"Alison."

"Alison. That's pretty." The ribbon around his arms started to glow, and he smiled at her. "Now, hold on tight." And a moment later, he pushed off the ground and suddenly they were in the treetops. Alison gasped and grabbed his shirt, her eyes flickering between the passing landscape and down at Bumblebee's feet, where little flashes of light appeared every time his feet made contact with a branch, small cracks playing counterpoint to the rumbles and flashes over their heads. The stories said that when the raiju ran during, the energy of their lighting left their mark. Sometimes whole trees would explode because a raiju lighted on them for a moment. Maybe it was his age, or he was just being careful, but she thought Bumblebee's marks were just leaving scorches.

Bumblebee. She knew a raiju's name. Not only that, but he was helping her, with no expectation of recompense. Miles would never believe her when she told him about this. No one would. What if they thought Bumblebee was trying to kidnap her. Her hands tightened their grip on his shirt at the thought. She didn't want anything to happen to him because of her, when he was so nice.

Almost before she knew it, they were on the edge of the forest, with the road and farmers' fields laid out before them, occasionally illuminated by flashes of lightning, though not very well. The rain was even harder out here than under the trees, but Alison's worry was stronger than her desire to not get wet. "Maybe you should just drop me off here," she suggested. "I can get back to the village from here."

"You can barely see in this rain," Bumblebee said, jumping down to the road. "I'm taking you to the village gates." He glanced down at her. "Are you worried about my safety?"

Alison pouted. "Maybe. You're so nice, I don't want anyone to hurt you."

Bumblebee laughed. "Don't worry, I have something that will put them at ease. Just hold on, I'm gonna pick up speed." He barely said that that he did, pushing off the ground so fast it was all she could to not let out a startled scream. He bounded down the road and occasionally off of fence posts and barrier walls, each jump accompanied by flashes and cracks larger than he'd made in the forest.

Finally, they got close enough to see the lanterns hanging over the gates, and the gatekeeper apparently saw and heard them too, as the gates were opened and a group of militia stepped out, hands on their swords, though they hadn't drawn then when Bumblebee stopped several yards away from them.

"State your business, raiju!" the leader had to shout to be heard, and Alison recognized his voice as Ser Burns, captain of the militia.

She was about to call back when Bumblebee set her on her feet, untying his cloak before retying it around her own shoulders. It was just the slightest bit too long, and dragged on the ground, but she was completely dry underneath it, and now she could see he was wearing three short braids with blue beads on the side of his head. Once it was settled to his satisfaction, he looked to the militia and spoke in the language of Primus. " Et veniet in pace, sub lege primus et primorum. " To her continued surprise, his crystal necklace started glowing a bright blue, and a wave of relief went through her when she figured out what it was. It was a energon shard, the symbol of King Optimus Prime of the Seraphim. Only the good intentioned and pure hearted served in the Prime's court, so even the most suspicious villager would at least listen to what he said before attacking.

And Ser Burns recognized it too, as his hand left his sword and he called "Approach and state your business."

Bumblebee smiled and took her hand, creating a lighting ball in the other for illumination before walking with her to the gate. "I found Alison here lost in the woods and decided to escort her home."

"Alison!" the rearmost militiaman raced forward and Alison recognized it as her father, Ron, right before he caught her up in a tight hug. "Oh sweet pea, we were so worried."

Alison couldn't stop the tears that welled up as she hugged her father back. "I'm sorry, Papa. I saw a sprite, and no one was watching, so I chased it and it went so far and I got lost. I didn't even catch it so I couldn't get it to show me home. Then Bumblebee showed up and helped me."

Ron looked to Bumblebee. "Thank you, for bringing my daughter home. Whatever you wish in gratitude, I will gladly give."

Bumblebee shook his head. "I need no reward for doing the right thing. I'm just glad I found her before something else did." He bowed to Ser Burns. "I'll take my leave now. There's a storm that needs riding." He started to turn to leave.

"Wait!" Alison wiggled out of her father's grip and ran to Bumblebee, wrapping him in a tight hug. "Thank you."

Bumblebee smiled and hugged her back. "You're very welcome, Alison." When Alison stepped back, her hands went to the ties of the cloak, but he pulled them away. "Keep it. You need it more than I do."

Alison nodded, then said in a quiet voice for only him to hear. "Come to the Tribute Festival, and I'll have something special for you. And don't say no. If I want to give you something, I will."

Bumblebee gave a small laugh and nodded. "Okay. I promise, I'll come." He let go of her hands and bowed again. "Farewell, Alison of Tranquility."

Alison curtsied in return. "Farewell, Bumblebee of the Prime's Court."

Bumblebee gave one last grin, then took off down the road. His ribbon and bands glowed as he bounded once, twice, then on the third, he took off to the sky, little flashes of lighting showing where he ascended into the clouds.

Alison watched until she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to see Ron standing behind her. "Come on, sweet pea. Your mother is worried sick, and she'll only become more so if we get sick from being in this rain."

She nodded. "Okay, Papa." But even as she took his hand to walk back into the village, she couldn't help one last look in the clouds. She would not realize it for many years, but something very special had started that night, when a raiju and a human became friends.


End file.
